just adorable...

Just back from a trip to Nickerson where I met Bill Dix and Geoffrey Montague from our BPN neighborhood. We all had a wonderful time and enjoyed soft diffused light for two of our sessions. I spent hours with a skimmer pair and two of their young. It was so interesting to observe both parents and chicks. Behavioral interactions for food delivery, feeding, parental protection, and how the chicks would take cover for either coolness and or safety.
This frame is just sweet to me. This was taken late in the day and there is a warmness to the image, I actually reduced the prominent color a bit. Cropped, usual, sharpening, NR, and some bill cleanup.rains of sand on the tail feathers and I tried to get more detail on the fine fluff of the chick.


D5
500mmPF

ISO 100
7.1
1/1600

Beautiful interaction Ann, the soft light has allowed some beautiful texture in the feathers. Framing is spot on, and the low POV works great. I do think that it needs a little more selective sharpening in places, the adults eye in particular. I tried an extra round on the adult, and gave50% of that sharpening around the chicks head

Attachment 182583

Mike

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Mike Poole

Beautiful interaction Ann, the soft light has allowed some beautiful texture in the feathers. Framing is spot on, and the low POV works great. I do think that it needs a little more selective sharpening in places, the adults eye in particular. I tried an extra round on the adult, and gave50% of that sharpening around the chicks head

Attachment 182583

Mike

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Thanks Mike looks bit better!
well more adorable!

I was going to suggest sharpening before I read Mikes post...
A lot of your fine images are a bit soft I think, You are probably just trying to ease off, but
for the web you can be pretty aggressive.

A real pleasure to meet you in person after all this time, Ann; and much fun shooting with you. And what a treat to witness the Skimmers with their chicks. This is beautifully captured cuteness; repost even cuter. The bit of green vegetation on the right is a plus.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by dankearl

I was going to suggest sharpening before I read Mikes post...
A lot of your fine images are a bit soft I think, You are probably just trying to ease off, but
for the web you can be pretty aggressive.

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Thanks Dan, I agree with you. I'm still getting used to processing my Nikon images and will be more aggressive w the sharpening. Here's a redo...

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Bill Dix

A real pleasure to meet you in person after all this time, Ann; and much fun shooting with you. And what a treat to witness the Skimmers with their chicks. This is beautifully captured cuteness; repost even cuter. The bit of green vegetation on the right is a plus.

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Had a great time with you guys and I look forward to see some of your images here on BPN. Let's do it again!

Ahhh...too cute! The extra sharpening really did a lot for the image. I'm really liking the careful placement of the grasses in lower-right corner.

Really sweet image captured in some great light. Nice detail on the chick.

Hi Ann, It really was wonderful to meet you in person, and spending a couple of fun days capturing images with you. The cuteness factor is off the charts. Like that both parent and chick have clear catchlights, and I like your last repost a lot.


Geoffrey




http://500px.com/geoffreymontagu

Very nice. Like how the grass on the right gives the frame some balance. Yes the repost looks sharper. Great moment here.

love the interaction between mom and chick, the low angle and the inclusion of habitat. The image just isn't sharp, the repost better but not tack. Was it heat shimmers? whites have lost detail.... it also has a dominant yellow cast

TFS

What a lovely moment captured Ann....Great POV and habitat. Really love the facial expressions on both birds.

Will

Like the moment, well captured.

TFS